October Sky poster

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October Sky

1999 · Movie · 108 min
A

MEANRANK

80/100

Averaged across 12 ratings · 453.8K votes

Every rating

Platform pages last read 29 September 2026. IMDb’s figure comes from IMDb’s own data file, which we re-read about once a month.

Google: Google retired the star ratings it used to show in search results, so this one no longer updates. More on where the numbers come from →

58–96 out of 100

Split

Lowest is Criticker on 58, highest is Google on 96.

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In a 1950s coal mining town where most boys are destined for a life underground, a young man becomes captivated by the launch of Sputnik. Inspired, he dreams of building his own rockets. Facing his father's disapproval and the town's skepticism, he and his friends relentlessly experiment, turning a scrap pile into a launch pad. Their scientific pursuit becomes a passionate quest for a different future, challenging the predetermined path set before them.

Details

Director
Joe Johnston
Based on
Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam
Released
19 February 1999
Country
United States
Language
English
Runtime
108 min
Rated
PG
Budget
$25.0M
Box office
$34.7M
Awards
2 wins, 2 nominations

This title elsewhere

Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal

Homer Hickam

Chris Cooper

Chris Cooper

John Hickam

Chris Owen

Chris Owen

Quentin Wilson

Laura Dern

Laura Dern

Miss Riley

Chad Lindberg

Chad Lindberg

O'Dell

Natalie Canerday

Natalie Canerday

Elsie Hickam

Elya Baskin

Elya Baskin

Ike Bykovsky

Awards & nominations

See all 4 →

1 major award won · 2 wins from 4 nominations across 3 ceremonies

Writers Guild of America Award 1999 Writers Guild of America Award Winner
Writers Guild of America Award 2000 Best Adapted Screenplay Nominee
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award 1999 Best Family Film Winner
Teen Choice Award 1999 Choice Movie - Drama Nominee

Awards from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.